Vinberna Monastic Rule
The Monastic Rule The Rule of the Vinberna Order was written in the 6th century by King Rolo's appointed abbot St. Dagmar the Blessed. The Vinberna Rule was known for its utilitarianism, as nearly every aspect of the day was focused on the production of Eiswein, both for sale to finance the monastery itself, and for the ceremonial aspect of the wine. Education * Education of the members was considered secondary to winemaking, however the education that they did have was focused on Scripture and functional tasks. For example, literacy was required for the purpose of prayer and private reading of Scripture, yet traditional learning was not a priority of the Vinberna Order. * Pagan texts on the winemaking process were permitted, but other philosophies written by pagans were banned. Arts * Art techniques such as glassblowing were taught widely in the Order. They created ornate glass bottles and chalices for ceremonial purposes, as well as to sell to the wider community. In medieval Europe, the Vinberna monks were renowned for their glassblowing skill. Relationship to Property * Monks were required to give up their possessions upon entrance into the monastery Women's Role in the Order * There were very few women associated with the Order in its history. Monks were required to be celibate and remain unmarried, yet women played a small role in the sale of wine to the neighboring towns. Purpose and Goals of the Order * The central purpose of the Order was winemaking. The Vinberna monks saw the frozen grapes as a gift from God, and wanted to cultivate and perfect the craft of winemaking. They saw it as their mission to share this gift with the Christian world as masters of their craft. Through this offering, they received favor from God and offered him praise in return for his generous gift. * The monks saw the most masterful winemakers as the closest to God's favor and with the most direct path to Heaven. The lifelong goal of those who entered the Order was to perfect their personal craft and contribute to the betterment of the Order. Role Models * St. Dagmar was a central figure to the Order. He was creator of the Rule and the first to learn the process behind the creation of Eiswein. He was venerated with relics in the monastery. ' Daily Routine * Monks awaken early in the summers, around 3:00 am, due to Iceland’s extremely long summer days. The grape harvest takes place in late summer each year, so the days are spent preparing: fixing equipment, increasing food intake, and increasing prayer. Meals include fish, unlike the winter-vegetable heavy meals eaten during winter. This takes up much of the day, until the Blessings take place at 10:00 and the monks return to their chambers to sleep and prepare for the next day’s work. ' Annual Harvest Holiday * The most sacred day on the Vinberna calendar is the last day of the annual grape harvest. Monks are allowed to enjoy wine on this day, and they may sing and rejoice. Meat is also allowed on this day. The day ends with special blessings to thank God for a successful grape harvest, and members are allowed to retire at any time.' Initiation in to the Order * Unlike many Orders in medieval Europe, the Vinberna order made egalitarianism in its members a central tenet. This was possible because of their unique situation; most monasteries relied on noble benefactors, but Vinberna was self-sustaining due to wine production. Children of both nobles and commoners were welcome to join the order, as it focused on dedication and winemaking skill, not on potential financial contribution. * Members were required to apprentice a master winemaking monk for a year, and total silence--except for questions regarding the winemaking process--was demanded. These apprentices were allowed to leave at any time. If the apprentice made it through this first year, they were initiated as full brothers into the Order. ' Dress * Vinberna monks dressed for purely functional reasons, considering sun protection in the summer harvest months and warmth in the harsh Icelandic winters. Clothes were made of wool, as was Icelandic tradition, and were produced by brothers during the winter months. One unique aspect of Vinberna dress was the color of the wool, which was dyed with byproduct of the winemaking process, producing a red color. ' Social Hierarchy * The Vinberna order was unique for a general focus on egalitarianism, and tried to avoid overt social hierarchy. Abbots still had authority, but lived and worked like any other brother. The only form of hierarchy was formed through a meritocracy; the best winemakers were considered to be of great social importance to the monastery, although they enjoyed no special privilege. ' Examples of Vinberna Artwork * Aside from arts associated with winemaking, some monks strung together bits of free time during the day to produce traditional aesthetic arts. For example, Finbert, a Vinberna monk in the 9th century, was renowned for his woodworking. He created reliquaries for other monasteries throughout Europe.